To the woman of Samaria our Lord spoke of a threefold worship. There is first, the ig-
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norant worship of the Samaritans: ‘Ye worship that which ye know not.’ The second, the
intelligent worship of the Jew, having the true knowledge of God: ‘We worship that which
we know; for salvation is of the Jews.’ And then the new, the spiritual worship which He
Himself has come to introduce: ‘The hour is coming, and is now, when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and truth.’ From the connection it is evident that the
words ‘in spirit and truth’ do not mean, as is often thought, earnestly, from the heart, in
sincerity. The Samaritans had the five books of Moses and some knowledge of God; there
was doubtless more than one among them who honestly and earnestly sought God in
prayer. The Jews had the true full revelation of God in His word, as thus far given; there
were among them godly men, who called upon God with their whole heart. And yet not
‘in spirit and truth,’ in the full meaning of the words. Jesus says, ‘The hour is coming, and
now is;’ it is only in and through Him that the worship of God will be in spirit and truth.
Andrew Murray